WHAT IF EVERY BUSINESS GAVE 1% TO CHARITY?

Grab a pint and settle in, because we've got some news that's got the whole brewery buzzing.

We're launching WE BACK BRISTOL - a bold new citywide giving movement that could change the game for local charities. It kicks off on 5th September, International Day of Charity, with £36k of grants heading straight to grassroots groups tackling food inequality in our city.

Keep Bristol, Bristol

Let's be honest - Bristol's magic doesn't just happen. Its independence, its edge, its warmth: all of that is built and held up, day after day, by a network of community groups and charities quietly filling the gaps nobody else fills. The community kitchens, the youth clubs, the food banks, the safe spaces - they're the beating heart of this city.

And right now, that heart is under serious strain. We surveyed 40 local charities and the picture isn't pretty:

• 97% say costs are rising faster than income
• 95% say demand for their services has significantly increased
• 60% are at risk of reducing or suspending services because of financial pressure

That's not a "someday" problem. That's a right-now problem.

"There are so many incredible charities that hold our city together, day in, day out, yet with rising operational costs, increasing demand and a challenging financial climate, the risk of these charities closing or reducing services is real. Something has to change for us to retain the Bristol that we know and love." Kari Halford, Head of People and Community

Three and a half years in the making

We've been banging the Brewed to Give drum for three and a half years now, and in that time we've raised more than £700k for local charities and good causes. We're proud of that. Really proud. But we also know it's just a drop in the ocean compared to what Bristol's charities actually need.

So we've joined forces with Left Handed Giant and the hospitality legends behind Team Canteen CIC - including Bianchis Group, Emmeline, The Pony Family and Team Love - to build something bigger. Something that could transform Bristol's whole charity sector.

The idea is simple: businesses give 1% of revenue - in cash, assets and time - to the grassroots groups and charities holding this city together. Working with Quartet Community Foundation, We Back Bristol will hand out grants, donate assets and gift staff time, turning a load of individual good intentions into one big shared push for the whole city.

"This is a unique opportunity to rip up classic corporate social responsibility - which doesn't work - and redefine what a city can achieve by bringing businesses and charities together." Sam Burrows, our MD.

Why We Back Bristol is different

There's loads of great giving happening across the city already - from small acts of kindness to multi-million-pound foundations. But when everyone's doing their own thing, it duplicates admin, lacks accountability, and drains the very charity resources it's meant to protect.

We Back Bristol pools individual pledges into one shared, unified pot instead. Every business adds strength, every pledge creates impact, and Quartet makes sure the support lands where it's needed most - with businesses able to trace and celebrate exactly what their support has achieved.

From one brewery's idea to a citywide movement

We Back Bristol grew out of our own Brewed to Give scheme, which is on track to raise £1 million for good causes in just four years - by giving 2% of total brewery sales in stock, space and sponsorship.

"We knew that signing a cheque for £100k a year wasn't going to solve Bristol's challenges. But it also felt a bit soulless - very un-BBF. Instead, we developed a framework for a cash and asset-based approach to business giving, maximising the value of our support to have a greater impact at grassroots level," said Kari.

Come November 2025, the big-hearted team at Left Handed Giant got in touch - they already had their own community giving programme but wanted to take it further. One inspiring conversation later, and the idea of "imagine what Bristol would look like if every business gave back" had taken hold. With support from Enviral, Studio Kin and Fanatic, that idea has now been built into a full citywide platform.

Starting with a pledge of £200k of charity support in year one, We Back Bristol has the potential to become a blueprint for other cities too. Because good business starts right here in Bristol.

How it works

1. Commit - Businesses pledge at least 1% of revenue (or 1% of a venue, brand or product), with at least half given in cash.
2. Contribute - Cash donations go through Quartet Community Foundation for maximum efficiency and fairness; assets are donated directly between businesses and community groups to build real relationships; time and skills are matched to charity need through Quartet's Pro Help service.
3. Celebrate - Member businesses get the We Back Bristol plaque, logo and Annual Impact Report, and a shared platform to shout about the causes they care about. Charities and businesses connect, conversations grow, good things happen.

We Back Bristol's first citywide grant round will be announced in the run-up to 5th September, spotlighting the grassroots leaders shaping this city - from community kitchens and youth clubs to grassroots sport and the arts. A second round of grants follows in March 2027.

"We are hugely excited to get the ball rolling. Our goal is to give £100k of cash support in year one, matched by £100k of asset or staff time. But imagine what it would look like if every business gave 1%. A simple pledge so the charities holding this city together can not only survive, but have capacity to innovate. Grow. Build. Imagine what Bristol would look like then. We do!"

Fancy joining us?

We Back Bristol is calling on every independent business in the city to get involved.

Giving 1% is a commitment. It's a lifeline for the charities holding our city together. It's a smart way to grow and share what we've got. And honestly? It's a love letter to the people and places that make Bristol, Bristol.

Sam wraps it up with, "Business leaders can choose to be part of something special - can choose social impact as well as business success. Sign up to We Back Bristol and celebrate it with your team, with your stakeholders, with your customers. Wear it as a badge of honour."

First grants land 5th September.

Follow the movement at webackbristol.org